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Welcome to my musings on pop culture and parenting. I am the Pop Mama and this is a safe place to steal away from your screaming child and get your fix on what's up with Beyonce and great poop stain remover tips.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The fall TV season is underway and I am enjoying it immensely. I love this time of year -- snuggling up under a blanket in front of the tv, drinking tea and eating funsize candy (because I can't resist the Halloween displays). Last week I watched the premieres of Modern Family, The Office and 30 Rock and got some much needed laughs. I am loving Matt Damon's appearances on 30 Rock and I can't get enough of Alec Baldwin's one-liners. These three shows are my favorite sitcoms-- my "Tri-Fecta."

Speaking of things that come in threes -- how about three wives? Yep, I watched the pilot of Sister Wives last night and loved every weird minute of it. The Browns live in Utah (uh, where else?) and are polygamists - or "plygs" as they dubbed themselves, with their children being "plyglets." Kody is the dad/husband and he is married to Meri (wife #1), Janelle (wife #2) and Christine (wife #3). Kody is father to 12 children and one on the way -- and will apparently take a 4th wife during the show (Robyn). Wow. I also learned that Christine (third wifey) doesn't own a toaster because toasters kill more people than sharks do each year and she makes her toast in the oven...

My real interest in this show are the details. I understand that this family has a belief that I do not and I don't condemn them for it. As long as they aren't hurting anyone (like taking 13 year olds as wives), I don't see the harm...I mean, sure I think it is strange and must give the children some skewed view of the world, but to each his own. However, I want to know how the relationships/ household / everyday living part works for this family. Did the neighbors know before the show came out? Is it like Big Love where one wife kind of directs the rest? Does the family eat meals together? Do they file taxes jointly or separately?

The Browns live in one home that is made up of three separate apartment type units (where is the 4th wife going to go?). One of the wives said that they used to home school, but now the children go to school with children of other polygamists in the community -- ummm, what? How very convenient...I'd love to visit the school -- maybe Oprah can.

I'm not the only one interested in the Browns now -- the police in Lehi, Utah are now investigating Kody and his wives for felony bigamy, which is a third degree felony that is rarely investigated. I'm sure the police / prosecutors feel like they need to do something to uphold the law now that the family is basically flaunting the "crime" on television. As an attorney I am curious as to the elements of the crime of bigamy-- what constitutes "marrying" more than one person -- is it a ceremony? Just saying that you are married to more than one person? Does there have to be a paper trail? I'm going to have to look it up.

1 comment:

Law nerd that I am, I did a little research...According to Utah’s bigamy statute, “A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person.” Utah Code Ann. § 76-7-101(1) (2003). The ACLU commented: The law, therefore, applies not just to individuals who have obtainedmultiple marriage licenses, but also to those who are legally married to only one person, while also engaging in other marriage-like relationships that are not recognized by the state.Hmmm...very interesting. The word "purports" opens the crime up to a lot of behavior. I'm just wondering if the Browns are prosecuted for this crime, will the police start investigating other so-called polygamists. I think the statute should be rewritten to define what really qualifies as bigamy if they are so against it.